Topics - sbell

Hi all, so as is not a surprise, I like my fish models. I have many, and have a certain type that I usually collect.

However, I also have a habit of getting all 'taxonomic' when I collect (I'm not necessarily a 'set' completist. but I do like my cladograms filled out...), and there are certain groups for which I have nothing--and also can't seem to find anything! Even the TAI doesn't list for (almost) any of them...of course, I have issues with the TAI groupings, but that's just me and my craziness!

I also know that many fish are missing, so I'm hoping that I just don't know about/haven't found some yet.

So first, the only one I have found a record of:

Beloniformes--I would really like a needlefish figure; the only one I know of is the MPC. Which is nice enough, but monochrome and costs too much for a small plastic fish. Any others?

Good news everyone! I received my first few sets of the new Toy Fish Factory!

The River Monsters are of course the big splash, but the American Angler series is good too. it's easier to compare the latter series to the original RTF series. The sculpts are very similar (maybe the same sculpts, if not molds?) but the paint jobs are a little different.

Really big difference is the material--the new TFF line is much softer material, so there is a little flex to them. The orignal RTF figures, as anyone that has any would know, are a very solid PVC material that doesn't bend.

But enough words---pictures!

Set 2: American Angler[/u]

Channel catfish:

Crappie (probably a White Crappie, unlike the RTF that was more like a black crappie due to the speckled markings...still hard to know for sure)

Largemouth bass:

Striped bass:

Bluegill:

And Set 1: River Monsters (I did them in reverse order for the dramatic reveal!)

Giant Snakehead:

Piranha (probably red-bellied, although the tail colour and orange belly are more like Serrasalmus altipinus):

And to be sure, these are just sets that clearly came from the same source. I do believe that there are other Toba sets that may be from other suppliers (interestingly, I can't recall seeing any Kaiyodo-derived Toba sets. It's like the one aquarium that doesn't have Kaiyodo sets).

I am not sure how many people are aware, but Simeon is ending his Replica Toy Fish Company.

His site is already clearing out what he has left (much of which was long gone as of this writing). There are some pretty deep discounts to be found though.

I have been able to get some for my store of course, but once they're gone, they're gone.

I was even lucky enough to get some of the unreleased Chain Pickerel!3 are for store, but I of course kept a couple for myself!

They aren't perfect, but they are rare! He doesn't even have them on his site.

But the good news--not sure how long, but he is rebuilding under a new brand--Toy Fish Factory! It will be similarly styled, sets of fish figures in tackle boxes.

The boxes will be themed, the fish will primarily be freshwater, and the range will be from around the world. I have only seen pics of the box art so far; the fish models themselves are not quite ready.

And if Simeon has his way, there will be LOTS of species. I've seen the proposed list...it's a good list.

This figure is the Japanese Dolly Varden (also known as Miyabeiwana in Japan), Salvelinus malma miyabei, a Secret Figure from the first series. This particular subspecies is a char found in Japan, although Dolly Varden as a species is found in Arctic and Pacific drainages in Russia and North America (there is even a relict population in my home province!) As with many Japanese fish models (though not all) it is widely fished for. Maximum TL of the Dolly Varden is 120cm according to Fishbase, but most references say 60cm or smaller. The figure, like the Char, is about 1:10 scale.

Being a repainted figure, I don’t need to go into much detail on the model itself—it is a remade White-spotted Char, although there are some differences in the bend of the figure. This is most likely a manufacturing issue, although it may also have been a purposeful difference created to differentiate the fish. Of course, the paint job is what really distinguishes the two models. In short, the Dolly Varden is an overall green, with light vermiculations on the dorsal surface, a scattering of red and gold spots along the sides, and a bright orange belly (the char is mostly brown, darker on the dorsal and fading to cream on the belly). The Dolly Varden fins are also lighter, with only subtle orange (compared to the dark orange tail of the Char).But pictures speak louder than words, so:

Pictures:

And the bottom, where it's easy to see the detail that Yujin puts into every side of the models (and can often see the numbers in the photos—that’s how we know the Dolly Varden is based on the Char—same number). It’s also easy to see how bright red the belly is!

And then some comparisons. Again, while the Dolly Varden was a Secret Special figure, it was not listed or available like some of the others (like the variants of the Arowana or koi, or the albino char or eel that were with the box set). Perhaps it was a special mail-out like the Masou x Char, but not as fancy—and definitely not as expensive (as any of the other specials, honestly)! And the paper didn’t help—it was part of the Series I revised, but didn’t offer any clues about why the Secret figure existed.

COSMOLAND Mammoths set-- $75 (no idea on original price--they were Japanese exclusive, and can now be found for $30 EACH on Ebay)

All 6 figures with bases (human skeleton has always been a bit wonky). I think I have the original cards as well. EDIT--Yes, I have the 6 cards. They are giant cards!

Finally...The Quick Walking with Dinosaurs set of four small models with box-bases, multilingual cards and fossil replicas!

Not even sure of original value--available only in France, Belgium and the like right after WwD came out--at Fast food restaurants called Quick. I've never seen complete sets anywhere--even in Prehistoric Times, the fossils were not pictured. Even the collector-among-mortals Dinosaur Collector site only has a single photo--of my figures!

Cost? $125

All 4 together:

Tyrannosaurus with open box + fossil tooth (from the Death of a Dynasty episode)

Juvenile Diplodocus with open box + fossil tooth (from the Land of Giants episode)

Here I present one of the 4 new Soft Models from Favorite (Kinto) in the Ancient Fishes line.

Latimeria chalumnae, the West Indian Coelacanth, one of two species of deep-water lobe-fin from the Indian Ocean (the western part). The only marine fish in the Ancient Fishes series (and other than a few sturgeon, one of the few marine 'primitive' fishes alive now as it is, depending on how you define them).

I referred to Arapaima as popular in Japan as figures, but it's nothing compared to coelacanths (mainly West Indian). I have so many, I've almost given up on trying to get them all (Favorite even makes one other--a much large soft Vinyl one that I won't get because it's just ridiculous in size). Unlike the other species in the series, they are certainly not aquarium fish. Or food fish. But they still suffer greatly due to the effects of fishermen (surviving 100s of millions of years as a group, but never found a way to survie dynamite fishing. Go figure). At the same time, though, their history and strange appearance has made them well-known as natural history curioisties, so that's good!

The figure itself is about 20cm long, giving a scale of roughly 1:12.

Like the rest of the Ancient Fishes, and other FAVORITE Soft Models, the figure is heavy, and came packaged on a card. There is a base, and the figure has a large hole where the base fits. They are not interchangable between figures. The models can sit/display without them, but the hole is fairly big and, really, it looks better with the stand.

Pictures:

And, for scale, Kevin the diver. Dressed like he is, he woudl be dead long before he got deep enough to swim with a coelacanth...probably died of hypothermia

Here I present one of the 4 new Soft Models from Favorite (Kinto) in the Ancient Fishes line.

Osteoglossum bicirrhosum, the silver arowana. This is a big species (>100 cm) of bonytongue, popular in home aquaria in much of the world. They have not been made as figures or toys much--just a couple of rare, expensive Kaiyodo Aqualand figures--since Japan is the only place that makes arowana models, and the Asian Arowana complex of species (Scleropages spp.) are far more popular (despite their rarity, and expense).

The figure itself is about 18cm long, giving a scale of roughly 1:7. I have personally kept a silver arowana that was more than double this size! It was kept with gars, bichirs, and...others (see below!).

Like the rest of the Ancient Fishes, and other FAVORITE Soft Models, the figure is heavy, and came packaged on a card. There is a base, and the figure has a large hole where the base fits. They are not interchangable between figures. Unlike the other models the arowana cannot sit/display without the ase, as it embeds in the side.

Pictures

Yes, they really do always look like they are judging you.

Note how the base sits against the side.

And, for 1:7 or so scale--the Yujin Blugill and the Replica Toy Fish Pumpkinseed figures. I actually kept my Arowana with all of the aforementioned fish, and Pumkinseeds! They got along very well!

Did I mention earlier to go get these figures? Because I will say it again, it's a great model!

Here I present one of the 4 new Soft Models from Favorite (Kinto) in the Ancient Fishes line. I will present all four--but this one is the most important (to me).

Polypterus endlicheri, the saddled bichir. A large (>60cm) very primitive fish from the rivers of West and central Africa, and a member of my favorite family of fishes OF ALL TIME. Just saying.

They are also very popular in Japan as pet and display animals (hence, this is the third tim this species has been made--Colorata and Kaiyodo are the other 2). They have a wide diversity in colours and patterns, and can be bred in captivity (at least by the Japanese) with some regularity.

The figure itself is about 18cm long, giving a scale of roughly 1:3. I have personally kept bichirs that were larger than this figure; I have one now (different species) that is close in size!

Like the rest of the Ancient Fishes, and other FAVORITE Soft Models, the figure is heavy, and came packaged on a card. There is a base, and the figure has a large hole where the base fits. They are not interchangable between figures. The models can sit/display without them, but the hole is fairly big and, really, it looks better with the stand.

Pictures:

And, for comparison--a 1:3 scale Yujin goldfish (finding a 1:3 human scale is...awkward). I have seen this comparison myself in real life many times. The goldfish (or crayfish, or minnow, or dwarf frogs, or guppies, or shrimp, khuli loaches...) did not last very long...!

If you don't have one, you should get them (the figures...or, if you have the room, a real one)!

Here I present one of the 4 new Soft Models from Favorrite (Kinto) in the Ancient Fishes line.

Arapaima gigas, the Arapaima or Pirarucu. Not just a large fish from the Amazon basin, but among the largest of strictly freshwater fish, at over 3m in length (at one time...)

They are also popular in Japan as figures (I have soooo many...) but this one stands out for more than its size--the colour is great, and of course it is big! Arapaima are not good home-aquarium fish, although they can make impressive public aquaria specimens. They are also, apparently, good eating, and are farmed in South America and south Asia. They can also kill a person if they jump out the water fast enough--like the Arowana, they are bonytongues, but they also have incredibly bony heads, and are basically pure, coiled muscle.

The figure itself is about 18cm long, giving a scale of roughly 1:16.

Like the rest of the Ancient Fishes, and other FAVORITE Soft Models, the figure is heavy, and came packaged on a card. There is a base, and the figure has a large hole where the base fits. They are not interchangable between figures. The models can sit/display without them, but the hole is fairly big and, really, it looks better with the stand.

Pictures:

And for fun, diving Chap Mei ranger with what would be a full grown Arapaima! This is actually kind of scary to imagine...

And for slightly less fun, the same comparison with a Colorata Arapaima, showing what is, probably, about the largest we could expect to see anymore due to hunting and habitat pressures (still big...just not big). Also, notice the very different colour patterns between the companies!

I'm going to keep saying it--everyone needs to get these figures! Also, the ATF needs a specific FAVORITE section

So I am finally getting around to this...I have far more than I can display--and the pictures of the following have been in storage for 5 years now! It is an assortment of Schleich (much of it late 90s-early 00s), some Bullyland, a few Chap Mei, some S&N Australian, AAA, and unknown!? Most have never been played with, just displayed or stored (some figures, like the older Bullylands, are still paint worn despite that--Bullyland paint just never took well).

I know that, with time, I could find someone for everything...but when I say a lot, I mean dozens of figures, over a hundred for sure. And I just can't take the time--they've been sitting for too long as it is.

So what is there? Pictures are easier. I will try and produce a list later...but it will be looooong. :shock:

Picures (I really hope these work):

Whole group:

Close ups:

So, to find a good home for this lot. I know it is heavy--about 25-30lbs (~12-14kg) so that will factor in...

I would like $200CDN PLUS shipping. I can send anywhere.

If anyone wants clarification or closer pictures of anything, please feel free to PM me. I am not eager to start pulling the lot apart, but I won't stop anyone from asking.

I could also say I'm open for trades...but I don't have much of a list...again, go ahead and ask if you want!

And find new homes for these...they're kind of wasted in a plastic bin...

I am finally getting to put this last ‘second release’ figure up—I kind of forgot!

This figure is the special version of the Carassius langsdorfii (or Carassius aurauts langsdorfii). Unlike the ‘regular’ figure, this one is the domestic version, in a bright orange, as would be expected in a fish tank.

It is otherwise the same model as the brown version. It has a brighter, golden eye, and the fin is more transparent.

Walkaround Pictures:

And to compare with the ‘wild’ paint job. It is clearly very different, with brown & grey compared to orange!

I have some release 1 & 2 comparisons all set to go, that I may add to other appropriate threads. And maybe someday I will get some of the really expensive rare ones!

So, with the [ûrl=http://animaltoyforum.com/index.php?topic=1707.0]Wild Carp figure I recently did as a walkaround[/url/] I mentioned that I had now collected and posted at least one of every fish in the series, but with this one, I kind of hit a grey area on how true that is.

When I did a walkaround for the Lates calcarifer I discovered that I actually had the juvenile figure—in the Second Release of series I, it was a secret figure, so I didn’t know that there was a different one!

But in the same lot as the carp, I was surprised to discover that I also received an adult Lates calcarifer!

I won’t do a full intro like I did the juvenile (I linked to it if it was missed!) since the figure is exactly the same as the juvenile one, just painted differently to reflect the unstriped adult coloration. I’ll just include the photos, and some comparisons.

It is also a First Release version, so the paint is a little rougher, especially around the mouth. Interestingly, the juvenile Lates was not a secret figure in release I (based on photos, the eyes also weren't as deeply red).

Walkaround Pictures:

This is the figure in two parts. The figure number of 13 can be seen—same as the juvenile one:

And to compare with the juvenile paint job—it is subtle, but the ‘adult’ is clearly painted darker on the dorsal surface, with no striping. And, of course, the eyes aren’t red!

Until the next one (just one more variant, and some release & 2 comparisons…!).

I have now done it! I have at least one figure of every fish in the Yujin Freshwater Fishes series! Interestingly, the carp may be the hardest one to get (at a reasonable price)—especially on its own. If you are starting a collection of them, there are large lots of them that sometimes include the carp—and they always seem to go for fairly high prices. And if the carp is one of the 3 domestic varieties (tricolor, silver, gold) then the individuals alone are really expensive. But I eventually came across a lot where the carp wasn’t obvious, and it snuck through.

Now, I just need to find the variants! A task which, to be fair, I could do if I were willing to spend a year’s worth of figure collecting on 8 figures…!

So, the figure—this is the Common Carp, Cyrpinus carpio, number 20 from the second series, in the first releases. This is one of several cyprinids, including the goldfish, Langsdorff’s goldfish and a few other dace and shiners in the Yujin collection. Carp are originally from freshwaters of Europe and Asia—and are apparently vulnerable to threatened in much of their original range. But, they have been domesticated for centuries, which has led to the species being introduced throughout most of the world, where it can become a very notable invasive pest. But, as a domestic animal, they are notable for their varied and distinct colours and scale morphologies (for example, the three special variants of this figure!), and are popular in ponds and fish tanks as Koi. But those tanks need to be large--the Yujin model gives a length of 80cm; Fishbase gives a maximum length of 120cm, with a common length of 31cm.

This model is about 6.2 cm long, making the figure roughly 1:13 using the Yujin length (If using the Fishbase lengths, the figure is as big as 1:5 or as small as 1:19). The colour is based on a wild colouration. The back of the fish is a dark olive-brown, fading down the sides into a lighter yellowish-olive, and finally to a white on the belly. The scales are large and distinct, but do not carry all the way to the belly. The pose is overall basic, with the fish in a straight line, the tail bending somewhat. All of the fins are a uniform translucent olive. The head is primarily olive-yellow, fading to darker olive on the top. The eyes are large and gold, while the characteristic barbels on the side of the mouth are sculpted against the mouth rather than protruding out. The base for this one is a grey version of the mud & sticks. Unlike many of the fish in this series, there are plenty of carp figures, from Japan and elsewhere. New Ray in notable for including one, as well as a number of Kaiyodo figures, plus the occasional toy of carp-like fish. They are also a fish most likely to be seen in more artistic models and statues, usually as the Koi variants.

Pictures:

And some scale versions—

At 1:13 (an 80cm animal)

At 1:19 (120cm)

For 1:5 (a 31cm animal—I still don’t have a 1:5 human, so here it is with other 1:5 fish)

So that’s all of the species in the Yujin series. I do have a few other variants and First-Release/Second-Release comparisons to do, but that covers the 31 figures in the set!

I am offering them for $4 US ($5.50 CDN). They are currently on the site for $5.99 CDN.

Postage to the US without tracking, for one figure, is about $8CDN. With tracking, it's $16. The postage, however, is affected by total weight.

Other places in the world (even Canada...) will vary, so we can go from there.

If anything is of interest, PM me with what you want, type of shipping (tracked or not) and where you are--I will respond with a total. If it sounds good, I will send you a Paypal request. If you don't like Paypal we can discuss other options (kind of limited, but we'll see).

Of course, if you are interested in anything else from the site, let me know that too--I can figure something out for you!

So I have apparently taken the reins for the 'Best Of' poll for 2015 for the fish & cetaceans.

Below is the list that I have come up wtih so far--can anyone think of any others? Honestly, I do okay wtih the fish, although I may have missed some of the Japanese models; bt I pretty much ignore cetaceans so I might have missed some of those.

Anything people feel shoudl be added? Chime on in! At least, before the poll is created. Whenever that is actually supposed to be (I don't actually know).

I have also never seen it in a catalog scan from Kaiyodo, so I don't know much more, other than it's my only Osteoglossum figure!

And for those wondering, the fish really is that greenish-yellow along the dorsum. Between that and the overall shape, I knew immediately that this was a different arowana figure (but it is definitely not a Scleropages, so I'm good!)

The figure is about 12 cm long, so it is about 1:7.5 scale (assuming it is a full grown 90cm).

And for scale with a 'person' (it's the closest I have, but the right length for an average adult woman)

Like the previous Se-Kin Dragon Arowana, this model is a re-paint of a previous sculpt.

The difference here is that it is being used as a representation of a completely different species! It turns out, this is not uncommon among the Yujin Freshwater fish—although most represent at least hybrids of one of the original species of the figure (and I’ve only seen pictures of a few; they are pretty cool, but very rare and expensive, so that’s a big nope. I thought the Gold Arowana was a tough find!).

This figure is represents a breeding colour Cherry Salmon (or Masu Salmon), Oncorhynchus masou masou . It is stamped with a number 5—meaning that while this figure may share the name of figure 03 (the ‘normal’ cherry salmon) it is a re-paint of the Chum Salmon figure. But what a difference the paint job made!

Many people are at least somewhat familiar with the morphological changes in male salmon when they head upstream to breed (and then die—altering your skull and colouration, plus fighting rivers and predators all the way along the river, is exhausting!). For me, I was most familiar with the changes to Sockeye salmon, with the red body and bright green face, plus a large, fanged, hooked mouth. The Masu Salmon has a similar change to the skull, with a hooked face, but the colours are, literally, out of a Star Wars movie (sadly, Phantom Menace, but the best part…).

The figure captures this colour in fantastic detail. The base colour of the figure is black or very dark olive green (depends on lighting) with bright red irregular bands up both sides of the body, extending from the belly to just below the dorsal margin. The fins are dark and yellowish, with small black spots over all of them. The eyes are large, and yellow, with black pupils, and the mouth is painted a solid pink. The belly is very light pink. When I first saw this figure in an auction, I thought that Yujin had gone mad—but a little research, and it turns out that they perfectly captured the almost monster-ish colouration of a full breeding-state male Masu salmon. The one thing I cannot find out, is if the hooked jaw has large teeth in it—these are not present in the model, but this is not surprising as the original model is based on a Chum Salmon, which doesn’t have the teeth.

The breeding-age size that I could find for the Cherry Salmon is about 79cm TL; given the 6cm length of the figure, that gives it a scale of 1:13, also like the Chum Salmon.

Like the original mold, the Breeding Colour Cherry Salmon is a two-part one, with the head separating behind the operculum.

The figure I have is on a plain grey river back base—from what little I can find, I think it should have been on one of the painted bases (most of the Yujin Secrets & Specials were) but the seller may have had them jumbled up. No worries though—I just wanted the fish!

PICTURES:I have a few different ones—the model, of course, followed by a few companion shots with the other Cherry salmon, and with the Chum Salmon. Plus, a picture with the unique paper that it came with!

With the other Cherry Salmon figure—combine these two with the Alevin & Egg model (wrong species, but most salmonids at that size look similar) and we almost have the life cycle; just need a juvenile headed to sea!

Compared to the Chum Salmon, which is the original mold:

With the fancy paper—note that there are 3 blacked out figures—tis figure, the Asian arowana, and a third one. These appear to be the Cherry salmon figure, repainted to represent various colour variations and hybrids. I think there are at least 3 or four of them. I doubt I will ever get my hands on one of those (the Carp/Koi have proven hard enough!)